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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26271262">Let's Stay Together, Always</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kroissant/pseuds/Kroissant'>Kroissant</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Fruits Basket</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Feels, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Romance, Angst and Tragedy, F/M, Fairy Tale Curses, Family Drama, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Fruits Basket spin, found family featuring the Faerghus quartet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:35:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,147</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26271262</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kroissant/pseuds/Kroissant</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ever since her mother died, Annette's world wasn't the same. Left alone and orphaned, she resorts to living in a tent deep in the hilltops. Unknowingly, she catches the eye of a certain family of many secrets and curses...but of course, things are not always what they seem.</p>
<p>[ "Welp! Guess the big secret’s out! Does this mean we can keep her?” ]</p>
<p>Welcome to the House of Madness and Wonder.</p>
<p>**Fruits Basket concept w/ Felannie Twist**</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Annette Fantine Dominic &amp; Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Annette Fantine Dominic/Felix Hugo Fraldarius</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Felannie Mini Bang 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue: A Young Girl's Wish</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello, everyone! This is Kroissant!</p>
<p>Here is my entry for the Felannie Mini-Bang, together with the amazing @MonyArts!</p>
<p>This is going to be a bit of a continuous multichapter narrative which means that even after the event, I'll continue to write and post (along with Mony's artworks as coordinated by specific events!)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>At the top of the hill, you shall see a house and people waiting for you.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>When you walk inside, the dimly lit halls shall shine and spring anew--just for you. The warm ambiance surrounds you, pleases you, making you feel safe and whole. An imaginary pair of arms gently pulls you backward, but you don’t recoil. The smell of sun and rain reels you in, enriched with strong spices and smoking meat.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Over here, Annette!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Someone calls your name from a distance. Before your mind could process, your bare feet are already moving, leading you to the place where you must go.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>There, at the center of the cramped room, is a large round table with blue seat cushions littering across the tatami flooring. Around the table are familiar faces with amiable smiles, with one of them prying you to come forth.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>It is a banquet, prepared, and ready for you to indulge in.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“There you are, sweetheart!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Dear, you’re back!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“We’ve been waiting. Come sit and join us!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Mother, Uncle, Grandmother, and Grandfather. Even Father was here.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Your throat tightens, the coiled knot in your stomach melting into a puddle. You take a moment to drink it all in--the sight, the smells, the sounds...</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Everything was absolutely perfect.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Something lightly brushes the shell of your ear, and at that moment, time went still.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Annette.”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>A modulated voice, smooth as silk. It excites you, paralyzes you, electrifying your whole being--this new feeling deep down--it’s exhilarating, brand new yet indescribable. This voice without a face, makes you feel safe, secured, and complete.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Once more, the voice sneaks up on you, whispering two magical words you long to hear:</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Welcome home.”</em>
  </strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Every Night Finds A Dawn</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The afterglow of the sunset dwindled and dispersed, leaving splashes of orange and pink to paint the seemingly vast and empty sky. As the natural light ebbed, so did the warmth of the day, until all that remained were crisp, chilling winds and the promise of a cold, bitter night.</p>
<p>Like the kaleidoscopic sky, the transfiguration of Fhirdiad breathed into life. From the tall, shabby buildings, the local businesses to the line of street lamps illuminating the semi-busy streets that would stretch on for many miles and beyond—and like the sky, the city was put under a spell, enchanting tourists and residents alike of the hidden wonders and madness that may lie beneath its crystal surface.</p>
<p>Under the dimly lit lanterns, two girls walked side by side. The rare droplets from the sun poured over them, casting its golden beam on their snowy white and ginger manes.</p>
<p>After ascending the stairs of the underground metro station, the two girls came to a standstill.</p>
<p>The shortest of the duo spun her head, her long, snowy-white hair whipping the other way. She fixed her eyes on her amiable-looking friend. Lysithea cleared her throat. “Once you get home, send me a text or a quick call, okay?”</p>
<p>Locking eyes, Annette took a moment to process her words. Then, a wide, toothy smile blossomed on her heart-shaped face. “Okay!”</p>
<p>Lysithea pressed her lips, folding her arms. She gave her friend a long, hard stare before continuing, “Next week, we’ve got a trig quiz for Madam Manuela’s class so be sure to check your notes on that. If you don’t understand a question, let me know and I’ll—“</p>
<p>“Give you a holler if I ever need a hand,” Annette finished for her with another bright smile. “Anything else?”</p>
<p>Something heavy suddenly tackles her, causing Annette to emit a high-pitched squeak. Being the clumsy one, she nearly trips over her footing but thankfully, was able to regain her balance in time. Annette blinked her eyes, then looked down. A tuft of white snowy hair appeared in her field of vision.</p>
<p>Small, tiny arms were wrapped around her waist in a vine-yard grip. “Lysie?” Her frazzled call, albeit muffled, still reached her friend.</p>
<p>Breaking away from her short-lived embrace, Lysithea looked away, her fingers twiddling with the burning red shells of her ears.</p>
<p>“Lysie?”</p>
<p>“I’m not always gonna be here to keep an eye on you,” Lysithea began, veering her eyes elsewhere. “So just do me a favor and stay safe, okay?”</p>
<p>The lively noises from the roaming vehicles and people filtered the silence between them in a comforting sort of way. Something warm gently caressed her hand, forcing Lysithea to glance back.</p>
<p>At the sight of Annette’s silly, wide grins, Lysithea finally allowed herself to relax, taking it upon herself to inhale a deep breath in.</p>
<p>Since their pre-school days (with Lysithea classifying Annette as her sworn rival), and leading up to their time in high school, there was nothing to hide between them.</p>
<p>As brutally frank and demanding as Lysithea makes herself to be, Annette knew deep down that this was her best friend’s funny little way to inject her concern on her.</p>
<p>And being the jolly, good-natured girl she was, Annette would gladly welcome them all, even if they were a bit...how to best phrase it? Err…' nitpicky' at times.</p>
<p>“Time to go,” Lysithea suddenly announced, though was quick to snatch her friend’s other hand and interlace them with hers. “Be safe, okay, Annie?”</p>
<p>Annette nodded, squeezing back. “You too, Lysie,”</p>
<p>Hugging one last time, Lysithea raced off, her retreating form blending into the colorful sea of pedestrians. Annette stood there, remaining still and biting her lip as she watched her friend’s silhouette reunite with another--one with a hunched back and a slightly, messy silver bun.</p>
<p>An image of her tiny self walking hand-in-hand with her mother, both smiling and laughing amid the blaring, twinkling lights.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Keep up with me, mama!”</em>
</p>
<p>Her mother’s pleasant, feathery chuckle tickles her from head to toe.</p>
<p>Eyes still glued on her friend, Annette tried to keep her face expressionless, watching as Lysithea joined hands with the small, hunched figure whom Annette quickly recognizes to be the latter’s grandmother).</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>Annie, the sweetheart, let’s get going before Granny starts to worry.</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>Annette raises her head high, gazing into the seemingly pitch-black night sky. A bittersweet smile bloomed on her face.</p>
<p>Though no longer here, Annette could still feel it--the ghost of her mother’s touch slipping along her right hand and pulling her forward. The chilling wind pricked her fairly freckled skin, evoking a crestfallen look on her.</p>
<p>“Time to go home,”</p>
<hr/>
<p>While trekking the upward slope, Annette broke into song midway. Her soft, whimsical voice drifted into the crisp air, bouncing against the bamboo barks and leaves towering over her.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Home is where I’ll be! Just beyond these trees!”</em>
</p>
<p>Annette sped up, keeping her eyes fixed on the path ahead. She nipped her lower lip, trying to conjure up more lyrics to hopefully steady her pulsating heart.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Figaro will be there, ready for some cuddles!”</em>
</p>
<p>At the mention of her tiny, furry friend, a wide smile makes its way on her lips, and suddenly, she feels giddy and warm inside.</p>
<p><em>“Clean the sheets, munching on the meat and sweets!” </em>Annette sang away, the volume of her voice steadily increasing. She picked up the pace again, covering her ears, and went further into the dark. <em>"Then bathe, study the notes, sleep soundly, and repeat!"</em></p>
<p>The crackling snap of a branch struck her core, causing her to trip over a small pebble and fall to her knees. Annette quickly rose, wincing when she spotted a small tear sporting in her legs, her black leggings ripped and sprinkled with grime.</p>
<p>Annette lets out a shaky breath, wrapping her arms around herself.</p>
<p>"Home is where I'll b-be…" She tries to sing again, only for her voice to wane as the howling winds abruptly cut her off.</p>
<p>Without thinking, she made a run for it, her schoolbag close to her chest and holding onto it for dear life while trying to navigate herself in the dark, empty woodland.</p>
<p>Annette sniffed, the fear of possibly getting abducted in the middle of nowhere bubbling her queasy stomach.</p>
<p>Her mother’s lovely face reappeared again, arms open wide and ready to invite her in, warm and comforting. The image changes, transitioning into that of a black feline, its large amber eyes staring right back at her, piercing her soul. Her new friend, Figaro, was waiting for her.</p>
<p>The thrashing wind and swirling darkness stung her vision and lungs, but she didn’t care. She needed to keep going.</p>
<p>Home.</p>
<p>No matter what, she needed to go home.</p>
<p>...And then she saw it.</p>
<p>Bright, flickering lights.</p>
<p>As ominous as it may sound, these lights were calling out for her.</p>
<p>Annette changed her course, racing toward the vibrant, yellow lights up ahead. Minutes later and she finally came to a halt, standing in awe and wonder at the massive wooden gate in front of her.</p>
<p>Above the door frame was a dark wooden plaque with the words, [Proceed with caution] dyed in blood-red ink. The inauspicious message gave her a mixed bag of signals, enough to send chills down her spine. Her heart raced, making her head spin wildly.</p>
<p>
  <em>Get out of here.</em>
</p>
<p>Annette slowly moved backward, eyes still glued on the wooden plaque. She quickly turned around, only to smack her face against something solid.</p>
<p>She instinctively retreated, hands covering her slightly bruised nose, letting out a low groan.</p>
<p>“Are you hurt?”</p>
<p>Annette flinched, startled by the sultry, booming voice. She visibly gulped, taking another step back. Holding tight to her school bag, Annette drew a sharp breath in and looked up.</p>
<p>Two men stood before her, their large frames completely eclipsing over her small body. "Well, well, what do we have here?" Another voice piped in, belonging to the tall, lean redhead with a Cheshire-like smile.</p>
<p>Annette went frozen, brows furrowed as she cautiously eyed him.</p>
<p>A low chuckle escaped out of him, making Annette feel uneasy. “What’s a pretty little thing like you wandering out here in the middle of the night, hmm?” His eyes burned brighter, and he gave her a dark smile that sent chills through her.</p>
<p>Annette shifted her eyes left through right, the gears in her head turning as she tried to find a possible escape route out of here.</p>
<p>“Please ignore Sylvain,” The booming voice began, causing her to flinch from where she stood. “If I may, would you like us to assist you?”</p>
<p>Again, Annette looked up to face the taller-looking man. Unlike his companion, his appearance was downright intimidating and scary.</p>
<p>
  <em>“We mustn’t judge people so easily by their looks, Annie.”</em>
</p>
<p>Again, Annette looked up, this time confronted with his surprisingly soft, pale blue eyes. Annette blinked once, then twice.</p>
<p>...Huh. He doesn’t look quite as scary as she initially thought of him to be. <em>He’s not going to hurt you.</em></p>
<p>She cracked a tiny smile, nodding to herself. She glanced at the other man, who was quick to drop a flirtatious wink at her, that obnoxious surgery-coated smirk still sporting on his strangely cherry-tinted lips. <em>But this one probably will. </em>If Lysithea were still here, she would’ve kicked him in the balls and fled the scene with her in tow. <em>Better to stay away and be safe.</em></p>
<p>From the corner of her eye, she noticed a large basket of green vegetables peeking out from behind. Annette briefly glimpsed back to the wooden gate over her shoulder, then settled her sights on the two men once more.</p>
<p>Then it clicked.</p>
<p>A rush of crimson spread from her neck and up to her face. “Oh! I must be blocking your way!” Annette exclaimed, hilariously flailing her arms. “Sorry to bother you! Have a good nightttt!” With her school bag in tow, Annette raced off.</p>
<p>She ignored their distant cries and pleas to come back, shaking off her nervousness and kept going.</p>
<p>
  <em>No time to think! Home!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I need to get home!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>NOW!</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Do you think we scared her off?”</p>
<p>The larger-looking man drifted his eyes to his companion who gave him a clueless look. At this, the silver-haired man breathed out a long sigh.</p>
<p>“What?” The redhead suddenly cried, “Was it something I said?”</p>
<p>The latter said nothing and strode forward, knocking on the gate three times--one hard, two soft. On cue, the doors magically opened up.</p>
<p>“Ah, there she is! Ingrid, my oldest and dearest friend!” Sylvain greeted the female blonde with an amiable wave.</p>
<p>The girl named Ingrid crossed her arms and leered at the redhead. “Sylvain, I could hear you from inside the house!” She complained, settling her hands on her hips. “What did we tell you about lowering your voice?”</p>
<p>While the two friends conversed, the silver-haired man gazed out into the distance. He scrunched up his features, brows knitted together.</p>
<p>That small girl they happened to stumble across...why was she wandering alone in the middle of the night? And why in the hilltops of all places?</p>
<p>“Dedue?”</p>
<p>By the call of his name, the large man turned to face Ingrid who was already making her way through the open gates. Dedue lowered his gaze for a few brief seconds, grimacing after spotting an unconscious body with a familiar tuft of vibrant red being dragged off by the collar.</p>
<p>“Dedue,”</p>
<p>The giant man turned, locking eyes with Ingrid’s worrisome green eyes.</p>
<p>“You okay?”</p>
<p>Dedue curtly nodded, taking a step forward. He held tight of the large basket of veggies, noting Ingrid’s beaming smile as soon as she laid eyes on them.</p>
<p>“Great! You’ve got the last ingredients! Thank you so much for getting them!”</p>
<p>Dedue wordlessly nodded, keeping in pace with her. Closing the gates behind them, they strolled ahead, letting the quiet serenity fill the void between them.</p>
<p>“By the way, who were you talking to outside?” Ingrid asked out of the blue.</p>
<p>Dedue veered to his basket of veggies. “A lost girl, around our age, I believe,”</p>
<p>Ingrid skidded to a halt. “A girl?”</p>
<p>“Indeed,”</p>
<p>“But Nobody’s lived in these parts except us,” Ingrid points out, then perched her chin on her knuckles, pondering the thought over. “And you say that she was alone?”</p>
<p>Dedue nods and that was all Ingrid needed to know.</p>
<p>“Then we must tell Dimitri about this,” Ingrid muttered, keeping a level-headed look as she marched on. “And hear what he has to say,”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“I’m backkkkkk!” cried Annette, stumbling into her tent with grime and a few twigs stuck on her hair and uniform. Her arrival was quiet, though the silence proved to be a relatively comfortable welcoming.</p>
<p>Annette took off her loafers, placing them near the mesh entryway. “Figaroooo?” She called out, clapping her hands to summon her little friend out of his hiding place. “Helloooo? I’m homeeee!”</p>
<p>When nothing came, Annette shrugged. <em>He’s probably fetching his meal right about now. </em>Dismissing her thoughts aside, she scoots over to the other side of the tent. Navigating herself through the small, narrow spaces, she tossed her school bag into her nest of pillows and folded blankets. She swerved her head to the right, her face spontaneously glowing at the sight of her--</p>
<p>“Mother!” Annette cried, crawling over to the small shrine she made for her late parent. “I’m back now! So sorry if I worried you!”</p>
<p>Annette smiled, letting her imagination run wild with the image of her mother magically appearing before her very eyes.</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>How’s your day, love?</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>"It was alright for the most part," Annette answered, reaching out to rearrange the white daisies perched near her mother's stand. "We've got a trig quiz coming up so I stayed behind to study with Lysie, Ashe, and Ignatz for a while,"</p>
<p>Her mother grins cheekily, rewarding her daughter with a quick thumbs up. <strong><em>Good job! That’s my girl! Anything else I should know about?</em></strong></p>
<p>"Oh! Mercie came by!" Annette pressed on, "I'm guessing Ashe contacted her beforehand and well, she took part in our study group! She brought a basket full of goodies!" Suddenly, her eyes went round. "Oh, and uhh…" She trailed off, squirming in her seat and looking the other way. "We sort of ate the rest, and well...I wasn't able to save any for you."</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>That’s quite alright, love. I’m glad to hear that Mercie is still taking care of you in my stead.</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>Annette hummed in agreement. “Yeah! I’m really glad to have her around,” She said in a hushed tone, cheeks darkening as she envisioned her group of friends. “Same with Emilie, Lysie, Ashe, Ignatz, Hilda, Caspar, Bernie…I’m really glad I could meet such wonderful people in my lifetime,”</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>I’m elated to hear that. You know, it’s almost time for bedtime. You should quickly freshen up and sleep soon.</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>“I know,” Annette assured, bowing her head in respect. For the next few times, Annette carefully removed her torn-up leggings and the rest of her school uniform in exchange for her blue duck-printed pajamas. Putting on her slippers, Annette proceeded to push aside the mesh entry.</p>
<p>“Mrow….”</p>
<p>A wide smile blossomed on her face at the familiar sound.</p>
<p>“Figaro?” Getting out of her tent, Annette got on her feet and took a good look around. A tuft of shiny, black fur moved stealthily in the shadows, slowly appearing out of the blue at the sound of Annette’s call.</p>
<p>“FIGARO!”</p>
<p>“Mrow…”</p>
<p>Annette rushes forward, pulling the stray cat into her arms. “I’ve been searching all over! Where’d you go, you silly kitty?”</p>
<p>Figaro mewls, licking her rosy, wet cheeks. Annette giggled as she felt her tiny friend squirming in her hold to gain suitable ease of comfort. "Did you eat yet?"</p>
<p>Figaro let out a rumbling purr, his tiny ears instinctively twitching.</p>
<p>Annette smiled, bringing her friend closer to nuzzle their cheeks together. Figaro mewled, reciprocating the affectionate gesture.</p>
<p>“Would you like to go on a nightly stroll with me?” She asked sweetly, cradling the cat in her arms. “And who knows? Maybe we could even see shooting stars!”</p>
<p>“...Mrow!”</p>
<p> "Come on, little grump," She cooed, roving to a nearby clearing with a light spring to her step. Tilting her head upwards, all Annette could do was stop and stare at the beauty, wonder, and infinite madness happening all at once.</p>
<p>“Oh my gosh! A shooting star!” Annette suddenly cried, rushing forward as quick as a lightning bolt. “Figaro, did you see it? It was a shooting star!”</p>
<p>“Mrow…”</p>
<p>Annette laughed as the wind encircled her, tangling her red mane all over the place. She dares to look up once more and into the starry heavens. “Wow…so pretty, huh, Figaro?”</p>
<p>“Mrow…”</p>
<p>She snuck a peek at her friend, giggling as she noticed him trying to burrow his tiny head along her exposed nape. “Oh, Figaro…” She sighed, bringing him closer to her and inhaling his musty, mint smell. “What am I going to do with you, hmm?”</p>
<p>The furball popped his head out, meowing.</p>
<p>All Annette could do was smile and peck the soft spot on the top of his head. “There, there,” She would say softly, brushing his wet nose with hers. The promise of starlight came once more and for this time, Annette was ready.</p>
<p>Enclosing her hands tightly, she shut her eyes and wished her unspoken wish.</p>
<p><em>“Sparkling lights...city sights, busy streets below,” </em>She began to sing, prompting Figaro to naturally curl up and lick her wrist. <em>“I will keep doing all I can do...and I will keep wishing cause wishes come true!”</em></p>
<p>Annette twirled and spun around, starting it off small, her movements a little klutzy and out of practice. Yet, that didn't stop her from making the clearing as her stage. "<em>To call a home my own, and be there where I am best-known...and to see faces--Father included, with me, Mother, Uncle, Mercie, Lysie, Figaro, and many more! Yes, that’s the wish I’ll be wishing tonight~”</em></p>
<p>She lifts Figaro high into the air, spinning and smiling and outright laughing like the starry-eyed fool she was, not caring one bit if she was causing a loud commotion.</p>
<p>Suddenly, her world began to shake.</p>
<p>Annette abruptly stopped, readjusting Figaro as he nestled back into the safety of her arms. “F-Figaro? What was that?”</p>
<p>Another slight tremor, alerting her.  <em>Wait, if I could feel this, then...</em></p>
<p>Cold fear spiraled through her the instant it hit her.</p>
<p>
  <strong>“MOTHER!”</strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>RUN! NOW!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>FASTER!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>DAMN IT, RUN!</em>
</p>
<p>That was all Annette could hear and think, the words piercing her, tormenting her, haunting her, circulate her head as she picked up her speed.</p>
<p>She left Figaro behind, his usual expressionless face changing into that of fear, agony, and…</p>
<p>Annette shook her head, darting her eyes onward. She gripped her hands, turning them into whitened fists.</p>
<p>
  <em>No! Not right now!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Mother! Mother needs me right now!</em>
</p>
<p>Swerving past the trees, Annette finally made it. Horror graced her features the moment she saw a large slope of boulders, dirt, and damp. Beneath the rubble, she spots a familiar blue color…</p>
<p>Without warning, Annette ran toward the scene of the crime.</p>
<p>“MOTHERRRR!” She sobbed, clawing her hands in an attempt to dig out her mother in the wreckage. “MOTHER, PLEASE! CAN YOU HEAR ME? I’M RIGHT HERE!”</p>
<p>Rain fell heavily, drenching Annette in her pajamas as she went on with her pursuit. “MOTHER, CAN YOU HEAR ME? IT’S ME, ANNIE! YOUR DAUGHTER! I’M RIGHT HERE!”</p>
<p>Flashes of her mother’s kind and earthly smile, her wide and open arms ready to welcome her in, her long and cascading red hair, her warm and sparkling green eyes that remind her of the stars in the night sky, and the inviting warmth she radiates, a callback to her home…</p>
<p>
  <em>Home.</em>
</p>
<p>That’s right--her home was always with Mother. But now, her home was no more. Instead, it was buried almost three feet deep in this rubble, with barely for her to salvage and reclaim back.</p>
<p>In just one night, Annette lost everything.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The heavy rain eventually subsided, blessing the wild area with the chilly, cold wind. A young orphan laid fast-asleep near the accident, fingernails, and elbows gnashed with dirt and more grime.</p>
<p>In the shadows, a pair of slitted, amber eyes bore intensely at her unconscious form. The small silhouette emerges out of his hiding, gracefully moving to enter the scene. Emerging out from the darkness and into the light, the cat magically transforms into that of a handsome dark-haired young teenager--the exposure of his thin, lean chest thriving under the silver rays of the moonlight.</p>
<p>He approaches the poor girl, his eyes wandering to inspect any suspicious injuries or blemishes she may have gotten. A tiny crinkle of a smile materializes, a long sigh following after when his search came to a bare minimum.</p>
<p>Ever so carefully, he takes her into his arms, carrying her bridal style. He holds her closer toward him, careful not to let go of her.</p>
<p>"You're so light," He said and gently tucks a strand of hair behind her right ear. "You should eat more, you know,”</p>
<p>Thankfully, the girl doesn’t answer to his soft-spoken whisper. The teenager softened his gaze, sighing one last time and taking his first step forward.</p>
<p>The subtle movement caused Annette to furrow her brows. Eyes still closed, she lets out a low wail, calling for her mother and dear friend.</p>
<p>Hearing this, the teenager smiled and set foot into the depths of the woods.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Let’s go home,”</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Place to Belong</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>chapter 2 is finally here! Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong> <em>The heady fragrance of lavender threads into the air, ebbing in and out of the halls. The touch of a steady, warm hand stroking the tufts of your head; it’s smooth, delicate, and all so familiar.</em> </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong> <em>A low sigh escapes you, and you nuzzle closer into your makeshift ‘pillow’.</em> </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong> <em>“My little songbird,” A honeyed voice speaks up, gentle and familiar. “I’ll be stepping out for a bit, okay?”</em> </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong><em>You wish to answer but you can’t. The touch, the smell, and her voice</em>—<em>Mother’s</em><em> voice lulling you back to dreamland. </em></strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong> <em>Soft lips hit you on your forehead, so feathery and light; leaving behind a promise that may not come to fruition. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, my treasure,” </em> </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong> <em>There was no effort to reply. And you hear it; her retreating steps echoing like thunder through the floorboards. The abrupt sound of an opening door electrifies you. </em> </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong> <em>Tears begin to trickle from your closed eyes, your heart hammering madly against your chest. You know what happens next. You know what happens to her…</em> </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong> <em>You try to arouse yourself awake but your shoulders are too stiff, too heavy to move.</em> </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong> <em>You try to speak, to scream, but the coil in your throat clogs it up. </em> </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong> <em>And so you remain, fast-asleep on your futon, the side of your face cushioned by your open textbook.</em> </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong> <em>“I love you, Annie,”</em> </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong> <em>The door shutters and closes…</em> </strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong>“MOTHER!”</strong>
</p>
<p>Sitting upright, Anette tosses an arm forward, snatching the air greedily as if it took something from her before it’s too late. <em>Mother, don’t go! Don’t leave me!</em></p>
<p>
  <em>PLEASE!</em>
</p>
<p>Unreachable, and unseen from this world.</p>
<p>Like a puff of smoke, Mother’s shadow deteriorates and Annette finds herself alone in the pit of darkness. The afternoon glow of the sun bleeds from a nearby window, a beacon of light shining through the ensuing darkness.</p>
<p>Annette slouches, feeling lost and defeated. She looks back up one more time and it wasn’t long before reality hits her. “Mother…” She blinks her tears, only to have them escape and slide down her puffy, red eyes to her equally rosy cheeks.</p>
<p>With a heavy heart, Annette coils her arms around herself as more tears leak and spill from her chin to her shaky hands; the very same hands that could no longer touch nor reach out to the last family she had left of this world.</p>
<p>Closing her eyes shut, Annette rocks herself in hopes to ward off the nauseous feeling.</p>
<p>Six months; that’s how long it’s been since Mother was taken away. And despite Annette’s effort to move on, the memory of her mother’s silhouette, her thundering footsteps, her bittersweet farewell…</p>
<p>Her body quakes like a leaf, cushioning her head deeper into her nest of arms. The last memory she had of Mother persists to haunt her. It replays again like a broken record, toying with her feelings and leaving her to shed more tears until she was out of energy.</p>
<p>The nightmare remains and each time it prowls and swallows her whole lets her wounds open and bleed and scar. And then repeats, and repeats, and repeats.</p>
<p>The distant chirping of birds finally arouses her from her reverie state and she slowly turns. A burst of warm light filters through the screened windows, flooding into the confined darkness caging both her mind, body, and soul.</p>
<p>Annette watches as her surroundings magically transform into something new.</p>
<p>The green-painted walls were the first things that caught her eye, then to the cherry-wood flooring and heap of bookshelves situated across from her. Eyes widen, she steers her head around, soaking in the new environment.</p>
<p>Unlike her tent, the size of this room she was in was vastly spacious and well-furbished; many of it themed with equestrian merch and posters. The size was what shook her; there was enough legroom for more than three people to be in here, and it boggles her to think that this may be the extent as to how far her fantastical dreams were willing to go for her.</p>
<p>Annette pinches her cheeks, expecting herself to feel nothing.</p>
<p>But she feels it, that sting of pain.</p>
<p>It finally dawned on her that this was real; she was actually in this room.</p>
<p>She was no longer dreaming.</p>
<p>Annette squirms herself out of the covers and springs up from the bed, revealing her slightly tattered pajamas.</p>
<p>“I need to get out of here,” She croaks, eyes frantically searching for an exit. After locating it, she drags one foot forward—</p>
<p>Her ears pick up the creaking sound of the door, freezing her in place.</p>
<p>The door opens to reveal a tall, pretty girl with a tray full of piping, hot food.</p>
<p>“Hello,” Her voice was modulated and fruity, befitting her ladylike appearance.</p>
<p>Annette fiddles with the hem of her shirt, feeling a little underdressed. “Hello to you too,” She greets back with a weak wave of her own.</p>
<p>The girl descends to the tatami flooring, carefully putting the tray on the space between them. “Come sit with me,”</p>
<p>Annette obeys without a fuss, settling on the floor with her.</p>
<p>“You must be hungry. Go on and help yourself.”</p>
<p>With a slow nod, Annette drinks up the wide assortment of food—bread rolls, a sliver of bread, pieces of sliced fruits (tangerines, strawberries, apples galore!), half-cut soft boiled eggs, and a cup of orange juice!</p>
<p>A trail of drool seeps from the corner of her mouth and Annette blushes, quickly wiping it off with the back of her arm. All eyes were still on deck.</p>
<p>Dear Sothis, there was so much to choose from! How could she possibly eat all this by herself?</p>
<p>From the corner of her eye, she spots the girl leaning a bit forward, intensely fixated at the presentation of food. With a wide smile, Annette insists that she takes some.</p>
<p>“Oh, no, I can’t possibly…” The blonde girl pauses and curls her hands into fists, shaking her head. “Right now, you are our guest. Taking care of your well-being is our top prior—”</p>
<p>A low grumble suddenly erupts, cutting her off.</p>
<p>A blush immediately paints the girl’s face, and she clears her throat, murmuring a few curses for her body betraying her.</p>
<p>Her stomach grumbled again, louder this time.</p>
<p>Annette grins cheekily, her mood lightening up by the bashful girl's failing first impression. She takes a fork, pricking a few sliced apples from the fruit bowl, and hands them to the latter. "Here," She offers and smiles wider when the girl stares longingly at her fruit-skewered utensil.</p>
<p>At this, the girl looks at her with uncertain eyes. “Are you sure?”</p>
<p>Still grinning, Annette reaches out to take the girl’s hand, lacing her fingers to grip the fruit-skewer. “There’s plenty of food here to feed an army! So please, take as much as you like!” She watches the girl’s bewildered look revert to her usual, relaxing face and with a curt nod, proceeds to finish munching the remains of the apple treat.</p>
<p>Annette leans back, taking a strawberry and tossing it into her mouth. The rich sweetness of the fruit brings a smile to her face, washing away the bitter taste left by a peculiar memory.</p>
<p>“I’m Ingrid, by the way. What’s yours?”</p>
<p>"Mine's Annette! But you can just call me Annie," She introduces and takes another sip of her juice. "Either is fine with me,"</p>
<p>Ingrid hums, taking a rolled bread and tearing a piece off to give to her. Annette grins, thanking her. She takes a bite of the freshly-baked dough and squeals.</p>
<p>“Be sure to eat everything,” Ingrid said, mouth still full.</p>
<p>Annette nods also occupied with scarfing down the bread in less than three bites.</p>
<p>“How was your sleep?”</p>
<p>A slow smile worked its way across Annette’s face, but the light in her eyes did not shine its familiar glow. “Pretty good!” <em>Not really. </em>“Slept like a log all night!” <em>I cried in my sleep and was trapped in a nightmare I couldn’t get out of.</em></p>
<p>Ingrid simply mirrors her grin, oblivious to the inner demons Annette was wrestling with behind-the-scenes. Still, it was appreciative that she didn’t push on it further and let the silence speak for the two.</p>
<p>“So...how exactly did I get here?” Annette asks, setting her empty plate and cup aside. “In a logical sense, I shouldn’t even be here.”</p>
<p>That was true.</p>
<p>The last thing she could remember was falling unconscious, her head hitting the cold, hard ground first and sleep overtaking her...and that was that.</p>
<p>"My friends heard a landslide and went there to investigate," Ingrid explained, "One of them happened to arrive at our doorstep with you. Thankfully, you weren't hurt but we made sure to apply for some medicine on your bruises."</p>
<p>“Oh, okay,”</p>
<p>In the back of her head, she mentally notes to thank her midnight rescuer. <em>Whoever they could be. </em>Recalling what happened last night, flashes of a small feline comes to mind. “Sure hope Figaro’s okay,”</p>
<p>Ingrid raises a curious brow. “Figaro?”</p>
<p>Annette eeps, crimson suffusing her face. "My cat friend," She tries to explain, grinning sheepishly. "He's got shiny black fur, some whites in her cute, whittle paws, and orangey-reddish eyes. I met him a few months ago wandering the streets. Poor thing looked tired so I nursed him, fed him, and sheltered him." She chats away, oblivious to the wide smile playing on her lips.</p>
<p>“He’s a street cat which probably means he’s got other owners to get free food and stuff, but...it was because of him that I got to find a neat place to temporarily live and all. I owe it all to him.” As she finishes her sentence, she takes a soft-boiled egg and holds it close to her lips. “I hope he’s okay.”</p>
<p>At this, Ingrid gives her a sympathetic look. “I’m sure he will be,” She guarantees her, then urges her to eat lest the food might turn cold.</p>
<p>Annette nods silently, gobbling up her egg. She licks her lips, smiling as she scouts for another slice of fruit.</p>
<p>“How long was I asleep?”</p>
<p>“Half a day, at most,”</p>
<p>Annette halts at her chewing. “What day is today?”</p>
<p>“Saturday,”</p>
<p>A loud exhale comes from the latter and Ingrid grins. She steals a glance at the now-empty tray and places it to the side. She laced her fingers together on top of her lap, bowing her head. "I'm sorry about your tent," She mumbles with downcast eyes. "You see, this morning, my friends and I returned to the sight and did what we could to salvage what we could find."</p>
<p>Complete silence floods in.</p>
<p>Growing worried, Ingrid elevates her head to take a look, only for her ears to pick up <em>pitter-pattering</em> against creaking wood.</p>
<p>A whisk of red and teal bolts past her and Ingrid quickly whirls her head,  just in time to see a small blob zoom straight for the door.</p>
<p>Ingrid sprang into action, abandoning the tray to chase after the poor girl.</p>
<p>“ANNIE! WAIT!”</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Eyy! Look who's finally awake!" was the first thing Annette hears as soon as she stumbles into the joint kitchen and dining room. She turns to find three men clustered around a large table, a strained yelp coming out of her.</p>
<p>“You know, we were just talking about you!” The redhead muses, completely lax and unfiltered by the delicate tension at play. He waves her over, beckoning her to join. “Don’t be shy now! Come, come! Take a seat with us!”</p>
<p>A wave of panic hits Annette who attempts to back away, only to collide with Ingrid who rushes in to join the scene.</p>
<p>The unexpected collision prompts the pair to jump and fall back, eliciting a burst of unwelcoming laughter to punctuate the air.</p>
<p>Ingrid whips her head, shooting a glare at the shit-grinning redhead. She shoots him a look, ready to give him a piece of her mind, only to pause momentarily to check up on their new friend.</p>
<p>“Did you get hurt?”</p>
<p>“No, I’m fine,”</p>
<p>“Are you sure?”</p>
<p>That look of concern on her face...how it reminds her so much of—</p>
<p>
  <em>“Tell me what’s wrong, sunshine. Mother’s here to always listen.”</em>
</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m good,” Annette says quickly, reciting the same words she would tell others, a message woven in her heart like a mantra, “Don’t worry,” And finishes it off with a smile.</p>
<p>Ingrid spares her one more look and then leaves to confront the redhead.</p>
<p>Annette watches her, hands close to her chest and feet rooted in place. With Ingrid no longer by her side, she could finally feel the effects of the many eyes that were on her.</p>
<p>But she tells herself to be brave, to put on a face, and to keep moving.</p>
<p>
  <em>You are here to find your stuff, thank them for the hospitality and then leave.</em>
</p>
<p>Annette circles the room, taking a good look around in hopes she might be able to locate her lost possessions.</p>
<p>“Are you looking for something?”</p>
<p>The new voice catches her off-guard; tinge with coolness and certainty. She tilts her head up; soulful blue eyes connecting with her shimmering ones.</p>
<p>"Excuse my friends. They tend to get rowdy from time to time,"</p>
<p>There’s a familiar ring to his looks—there was something about the way he holds himself up, dignified and poised, how his choppy, golden locks and vibrant smile naturally gave off some sort of ‘prince-charming’ vibe.</p>
<p>
  <em>He’s so pretty. It’s like he came straight out of a fairytale!</em>
</p>
<p>“I’m glad to see you’re well,” The ‘prince’ tells her, and lightly sets his hand on her shoulder. “We’ve been waiting for you,”</p>
<p>“Y-you have?”</p>
<p>He extends his hand out for her to take. “Let’s go and have a seat, shall we?”</p>
<p>When the boy nods, Annette takes a long moment to process. She stands there, tongue-tied and lost of what else to say.</p>
<p>A toss of a smile and a firm squeeze of his hand and she lets it happen. Annette saunters forth, absentmindedly letting him—a <em>beautiful stranger!</em>—guide her over to their crowded table.</p>
<p>He pulls up a chair for her and waits for her to settle in and then returns to his own. Annette puts her hands on her lap and tilts upward, her eyes lingering back to the kind boy sitting next to her.</p>
<p>“You must be Annette,” The boy began, gracing her with another one of his shining smiles. “My name is Dimitri,” He jerks his head to the giant man standing behind him and adds, “This is Dedue. My bodyguard and dearest friend,"</p>
<p>At this notion, Dedue mimics his courteous gesture. “We meet again,”</p>
<p>Annette nods, cracking a nervous smile. “Same here,”</p>
<p>“Over there is Sylvain,” Dimitri introduces, the warmness of his expression beginning to wane. “As you can see, he’s got a colorful character,”</p>
<p>By the call of his name, Sylvain was quick to give her a wink. "It's a pleasure to see you, ma petite," He muses and goes on to blow a kiss in her direction. Annette dodges, causing Ingrid to snort and chuckle in the background. "Guess fate must have something in store for the two of us, wouldn't you agree?"</p>
<p>Thankfully, Ingrid arrives to intervene, pinching his right ear and reeling him back. “Don’t even think about it,” She warns, and presses his ear harder.</p>
<p>Sylvain quickly shakes her off of him, chastising her to calm down. Ingrid doesn’t waver nor budge, keeping up her forefront and shoots him a leer.</p>
<p>“And I believe you are well-acquainted with Ingrid,” Dimitri adds, gesturing his hand to his quarreling friends.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” She agrees, and a wide grin blooms on her face.</p>
<p>It's a brand new day and here she was, waking up in a new place with people she barely knew. She'd only been with them for twenty minutes but having them as the company made her heart soar into the heavens. For a minute, it felt like she was back home again; back to the old, rickety apartment, she used to live—to a time when all was well and happy, and as for her favorite person...</p>
<p>
  <em>“Time to wake up, my treasure!”</em>
</p>
<p>A teardrop spills down from her cheek as a rush of emotions pangs her heart, overflowing her senses and turning her into a sobbing mess.</p>
<p>“Annette! Is everything okay?”</p>
<p>The tears wouldn’t stop. It couldn’t stop, no matter how hard she tried.</p>
<p>“Sylvain! What did you do?”</p>
<p>“What? I didn’t do anything! Don’t start blaming me!”</p>
<p>“Annette, please speak to us. We want to help you.”</p>
<p>“If Sylvain said something bad, he didn’t mean to,”</p>
<p>“For the last time, it wasn’t me!”</p>
<p>Annette hiccups, burying her swollen face deeper into the folds of her hands.</p>
<p>“<em>I wanna go home,”</em> was all she wanted to say and wished to spill it out. But when she opens her mouth to do so, there’s nothing. Like her voiceless words, all she ever knew and loved had left and gone; submerged beneath the landslide, beyond her reach.</p>
<p>“I heard that you guys found some items beneath the rubble,” She croaks, her puffy, red eyes welling up as more tears spilled down her chin. She tilts her head up to face the four new faces who look back at her with equally worried expressions.</p>
<p>Still, Annette keeps her spirits up and wipes away her tears. “Can I see them? Please?”</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>“What you see there is all we could salvage beneath the rubble,” Dedue explains and places what seems to be a rather large and hefty bag on the table.</p>
<p>Thanking him, Annette rolls up her sleeves and begins to work.</p>
<p>Schoolbag, pencil case, textbooks—<em>check.</em></p>
<p>Annette rummages deeper into the bag, taking them out one by one.</p>
<p>School uniform and jersey, two shirts, a pair of pants, and one pink sock. Albeit the shortage of clothes, Annette feels a rush of emotions as she cradles them close to her chest, keeping them near and dear to her heart. <em>Bless the Saints.</em></p>
<p>So far, the items she possessed were right here—all except for one.</p>
<p>“AH!”</p>
<p>Cold hardwood threaded past her fingers and at that moment, she just <em>knew</em>.</p>
<p>Her breathing turns unsteady as she slowly digs it out with her shaky hands.</p>
<p>And there she was.</p>
<p>“Mother…”</p>
<p>Her legs wobble and she falls, sinking to her seat, hands gripping hard on the portrait. "Oh, mother<em>!</em> I-I thought I lost you back there! I thought I was gonna be all alone again but thank the <em>gods</em> you’re safe!”</p>
<p>Dimitri and Sylvain exchanged baffled looks as Ingrid scrambles to her aid, enclosing her arms firmly around the poor girl. Her touch sends shockwaves through her and Annette submits to it, laying her head on Ingrid's chest. Inhale and exhale; her breathing pace in sync with a metronome, and Annette secretly feels at peace with it as it lulls her into another trance.</p>
<p>“It’s okay, Annie,” Ingrid assures her, sweeping a few strands of her hair to the side. “We’re here,”</p>
<p>Sniffing, Annette nuzzles closer. She tightens her grip on her mother's portrait, keeping it firm and close to her at all costs.</p>
<p>For the next few minutes, the room went solemn.</p>
<p>Dimitri stood by, unusually quiet. His gaze lingers at the sobbing girl, patiently waiting for the silence to pass.</p>
<p>There was something about her that pulled at his heartstrings and her uncontrollable sobs were enough to make his heartache. Her hands and voice trembled, her cheery facade breaking into pieces as she revealed what was underneath…a lonely daughter, who could not seem to get rid of her mother just yet (and from the looks of it, it seems the death must've been a recent tragedy).</p>
<p>Dimitri motions his head and takes a quick look around the room. The deep frown, crossing of arms, and gentle, soft looks were unanimous. Even Dimitri couldn't hide it well; in fact, it was damn near impossible to turn away and not feel for her.</p>
<p><em>The feeling of losing someone close to you. I know that feeling all too well. Everyone else here knows. </em>The image of his childhood friend, one with black hair and whose back always seems to turn away, occupies his thoughts and Dimitri croons his brows. <em>I’m certain he does too.</em></p>
<p>“Thank you, but I’m fine now,”</p>
<p>Dimitri looks up and dares to not speak as Annette removes herself from Ingrid's embrace. He simply stands there and observes her every move—wipes away the tears as if they were nothing, and once more, put on a brave face, equipped with a glass smile. The baggage she carries by her lonesome was plain and obvious to see, and yet, she refuses to show it, refusing to be seen as someone brittle and breakable. A person whose damaged property.</p>
<p><em>She’s strong. </em>Dimitri concludes, the curves of his lips quirking upwards. <em>Much stronger than the five of us combined. </em></p>
<p>“Do you have anywhere to go?”</p>
<p>Annette lamely shrugs. “Not at the moment,”</p>
<p>“Do you have relatives living in the area?” Dedue speaks up rather innocently, “Perhaps they are wondering where you might be,”</p>
<p>Annette purses her lips. “Welllllll, there’s my Uncle,”</p>
<p>Sylvain toots a whistle. “Hey, there’s one problem solved—”</p>
<p>“<em>—</em>But he lives overseas at the moment," She cuts him off with a nervous grin. Annette scratches the back of her head, laughing absentmindedly, and adds, "Uncle Antoine would sometimes send letters or my monthly allowance. We communicate once a while, but lately, he's been busy, and..."</p>
<p>“Oh!” So <em>that’s </em>why you were camping outside like a hobo!” Sylvain suddenly cries and smirks smugly at his success for putting the pieces together. “Gosh, that makes total sense! For a second there, I thought you’d—”</p>
<p>Beneath the table, Ingrid crushes his feet, causing Sylvain to fall back on his chair.</p>
<p>Dimitri chuckles, shaking his head. "Well, if there's no other place for you to go, you are more than welcome to stay here with us," He offers, steering his topic back to their main discussion. In the background, Ingrid gives him an encouraging thumbs-up.</p>
<p>Annette blushes, shrinking as all eyes fell back on her. “I don’t know, really,”</p>
<p>It was true.</p>
<p>The idea, as enticing as it sounds was good to be true. Living with a group of strangers—who turned out to be lively, charming people—was something she couldn’t picture herself in.</p>
<p><em>No, this is wrong. </em>Annette reasons with herself. <em>"Isn't it a bit impolite for me to just barge and invite myself in unannounced? What would Mother say if she were in my place?</em></p>
<p>"I know it's sudden," Dimitri speaks up, breaking the silence. "Especially since we are asking for you to adapt to a new environment. But let me be clear that if you accept, we will be here for you and do our best to help you in any way,"</p>
<p>Annette crinkles a smile, her heart filled with gratitude. She replays his words in her head, and after mulling it over, the dreaded thought sinks in...</p>
<p>“...What if I decline?”</p>
<p>Dimitri beams. “The offer still stands,” He assures, confidence layering his tone.</p>
<p>A flood of warmth washes over her and she nods, mirroring his grin. This new feeling swells up inside her; an uncharted path, full of changes and uncertainty but also new and exciting. When it comes to making decisions, Annette was terrible at choosing. She shifts her gaze to her mother’s portrait, hoping to earn some spiritual guidance.</p>
<p>
  <em>Mother, if you’re listening, please give me a sign.</em>
</p>
<p>The ticking of the clock on the wall equals the pacing of her heartbeat, and she squirms. Another minute went by and still nothing. Annette musters a bittersweet grin, clutching her portrait.</p>
<p>
  <em>Guess it was meant to be this way. And here I was, getting so chummy with them too.</em>
</p>
<p>“I’m back,”</p>
<p>The new voice punctuates the air, jolting Annette awake.</p>
<p>“Heyyyy! Welcome back, man!” Sylvain hollers, waving his forearms in the air. “And what impeccable timing too! Come over and meet our guest!”</p>
<p>Annette stiffens and brings her head low, neck, and ears flushed as the fifth and final member of the group enters the room.</p>
<p>Sylvain toots another holler, urging the newcomer to come in.</p>
<p>“Guest? You referring to the shortie?”</p>
<p>Annette tenses, her blood boiling at the offensive comment. <em>Shortie</em>? <em>Really? </em>She whips her head up, unafraid to charge at the new face, and lash out at him. But the second she spots him walking through the open archway, her heart stops.</p>
<p>Tall, lean, and mysterious.</p>
<p>Shiny, black hair and fair, porcelain skin. And his eyes—glowing, blazing, and shockingly amber.</p>
<p>
  <em>Mrow.</em>
</p>
<p>“...Figaro?”</p>
<p>The words slipped off her mouth before she could register the new face, and yet, even he looked just as equally stunned as her when she called him such a name.</p>
<p>He looks at her, eyes widening for a half a second before putting on a low scowl. Without a word, he retreats to the opening living room with his equipment in hand.</p>
<p>“Sorry about Felix,” Ingrid starts, flashing a side-glance at the said boy before resuming. “He can be a stick in the mud, but he means well,”</p>
<p>Annette nods, feeling out of place. She shyly peeks at the newcomer who returns into the dining room, empty-handed and gracefully meandering through the crowded room. He opens the fridge door, closing it after once he fetches a cold bottle of water. “So? Who’s the chick?”</p>
<p>“This is Annette,” Dimitri introduces, “From this point forward, she will be living here with us,”</p>
<p>Annette’s eyes went round. “Wait, what?”</p>
<p>Dimitri gives her a quick, tight smile. “Don’t worry, I got this,” He mouths to her and looks back to lock eyes with Felix.</p>
<p>“What’s with this sudden change of pace?” Felix snorts, crossing his arms. “And here I thought you were a traditionalist, Boar,”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t just him,” Ingrid intrudes, sticking up for her friend. She rises from her chair, leveling her gaze with his. “It was a unanimous vote,”</p>
<p>Felix rolls his eyes. “Everyone except me,” He murmurs, taking a sip of his water. “Then again, that’s to be expected, after all.”</p>
<p>Ingrid clenches his teeth, slamming her hands on the table.</p>
<p>Sylvain gets up, the loud thwack of his chair tumbling to the floor.</p>
<p>“Alright! Let’s all settle down now!” He cries, waving his forearms around to create a good distance between his friends. “It’s hardly been an hour in the day and we’re having quarrels in front of a guest! First impressions are important, you know,” At this, Sylvain scoots closer to the scowling male and nudges him. “No wandering eyes, mind you,”</p>
<p>Felix clicks his tongue. “I should be saying that to you, damn fox,” He grunts, ambling over to lean his back against the counter. He puts his half-empty bottle next to him, folding his arms again.</p>
<p>Annette sneaks a quick peek, flinching when a pair of amber eyes look back at her. Shoulders hunched, brows knitted and lips fixed in a natural scowl—he had walled up around him as if he knew that the world was out to get him. Callous and brooding; a stark contrast to Dimitri's dreamy and jaunty nature.</p>
<p>Her eyes shift from Dimitri, then at Felix.</p>
<p><em>Dimitri embodies the image of a real-life Prince. If that’s the case, then Felix would likely be</em>—<em><br/></em>“A villain,”</p>
<p>Eyes widening, Annette covers her mouth with her hand. Surely the others didn’t hear that, right?</p>
<p>A stifle chuckle from Sylvain proved this to be otherwise. Gulping, she sets her sights on the target of her musing. He wore a blank expression, clearly unsmiling and unappreciative of her accidental slip.</p>
<p>“A villain, huh? Did I hear that right?” As expectant, his voice stung like poison.</p>
<p>Annette went still, internally cursing herself for speaking her thoughts before thinking it over carefully. She looks back up, and when their eyes reconnect, she feels a strange tug pulling at her.</p>
<p>The stern and cool mask of Felix deteriorates and a flicker of something warm, soft, and <em>familiar </em>hits her like a huge tidal wave.</p>
<p>His eyes…</p>
<p>
  <em>Where have I seen them before?</em>
</p>
<p>If there was ever a time she crossed paths with him beforehand, clearly, she would’ve remembered (that and how low-key attractive he was). But no memory resurfaces, and that arouses her suspicions even more.</p>
<p>Today marks the day of their official meeting, and yet, the air between them feels benevolent. Tolerable even his face alone tells her that there's a hidden spark, and pictures him doing his best not to laugh or smile lest he might spoil the surprise.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, but have I met you before?”</p>
<p>Annette didn’t care anymore. Right now, she needed to voice the questions plaguing her mind. Rising from her chair, she approaches him with her mother’s portrait in tow. She ignores the others, bracing herself for what’s to come.</p>
<p>“Please, be honest with me.” She presses, standing her ground. “And I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer,”</p>
<p>Felix crosses his arms and leers at her, his invisible walls going up again. “Don’t know what you're talking about,” He murmurs, looking away.</p>
<p>“Yes, you do!” She barks back, making him and the others flinch. For a tiny girl, she sure can speak for herself. “You must know what I’m talking about!”</p>
<p>Felix sneers. He backs away, only to feel the sharp edge of the counter graze behind him.</p>
<p>Annette takes another step. In a split second, she sees it—fear and worries, spiraling deep in his irises.</p>
<p>She withdraws her hand and closes in, reaching out.</p>
<p>In the background, Dimitri and Ingrid panic, abruptly standing up at the same time as their chairs scrape through the floorboards. Exchanging quick looks, they dove in and—</p>
<p>“Do you know Figaro?”</p>
<p>Felix’s eyes widened into saucers and Annette knew she hit the jackpot. Immediately, his scowl returns and as he opens his mouth to protest—</p>
<p>“INCOMINGGG!”</p>
<p>Without warning, a blur of red intervenes.</p>
<p>A chorus of grunts and yelling ensues and sadly, Annette didn’t have time to register all of it. But she did, however, spotted the large shadow looming over her.</p>
<p>Before Annette could react to it, Felix swoops in, placing himself in front of her, arms stretched wide as if to shield her from what could’ve been a bone-crushing impact.</p>
<p>A pair of arms snake around her torso and Annette feels a strong pullback. Within seconds, puffs of colorful smoke—blue, yellow, and magenta—detonates.</p>
<p>Annette coughs brashly, swinging her forearms hysterically to weave through the thick smoke.</p>
<p>Eventually, the smoke wanes and Annette cracks her eyes open.</p>
<p>And there, right in front of her, was her answer.</p>
<p>“Mrow,”</p>
<p>Black fur and tiny white paws. Amber eyes.</p>
<p>“What…” was all Annette could say. She rubs her eyes, blinking once and then twice for good measure. “F-Figaro?”</p>
<p>‘Figaro’ sighs, hanging his head low.</p>
<p>A ripple of smothered laughter circles the room and Annette directs her attention up. “Whoops! My bad!” said the red fox who appeared out of thin air on the counter.</p>
<p>Annette went pale. Not only could this creature talk, but he disturbingly sounded a lot like a certain redhead she knew. Unless…</p>
<p>“This is all your fault, you damn fox!” ‘Figaro’ hisses, fur puffed up and tail flickering.</p>
<p>More of the smoke settles and Annette finds herself coming face-to-face with a talking <em>boar</em>. “Now, now, let’s all stay calm,”</p>
<p>"I agree with His Highness," A booming voice speaks up, and Annette whirls her head around, expecting to see another animal. To her relief (and slight disappointment), Dedue materializes, still looking the same as he was once before. “Lest we need another disaster reckoning.”</p>
<p>A long, tired sigh emits, tickling the back of Annette’s neck. She shivers, and slowly turns, secretly grateful to find Ingrid’s beautiful human face.</p>
<p>“Welp! Guess the big secret’s out!” Sylvain muses, laughing away.</p>
<p>Ingrid releases Annette from her hold and rises to her feet, eyes locked on the cunning fox. She directs her knuckles toward his direction, cracking them and watches with amusement how the latter was quick to cower behind the nearby toaster.</p>
<p>Annette stands up as well, dusting off the dirt on her pajamas. She looks around her, still baffled at what had just conspired a few seconds ago. "This is a dream, right? It has to be!" She says to herself and pinches her cheeks hard to hopefully 'wake up' from it.</p>
<p>She reopens her eyes again and looks around her. Excluding Ingrid and Dedue, the rest were still animals.</p>
<p><em>Animals</em>. <em>Talking. </em></p>
<p>
  <em>Talking animals.</em>
</p>
<p>At that moment, Annette wanted to run, run as far as possible, and away from this Lala land. Sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case as her brain had other plans to process.</p>
<p>
  <strong> <em>“OHMYGODTHEYTURNEDINTOANIMALSSSSSSSS!”</em> </strong>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>&lt;img src=" (artwork by @MonyArtz)</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you to all who took the time to read and review!</p>
<p> chapter 3 is going to be halted temporarily due to school and the upcoming sylcedes week. Expect an update later in the month or if not, around early October!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Something Bitter, Something Sweet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Wrote this chapter before Christmas and then forgot to post it. Sorry about that, haha!</p><p>Here it is! Chapter three!</p><p>Something bitter, something sweet refers to the atmosphere of the latest chapter. There's something meaningful behind it also, but let's see if any of you clever readers can guess it. </p><p>Here's the soundtrack I used to listen to while writing up this chapter: (Links Below)</p><p>Repeat and Repeat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QblwNLVOKY&amp;list=PLhJMXjJPKb49pfrhygOn0zuXeBqxRusvX&amp;index=21</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Just moments ago, they were all huddled at the dining table, chatting up a storm. Dimitri and Ingrid had offered Annette free lounging for the next few days. With the intrusion of another member--one by the name of Felix, all seemed to be going smoothly…</p><p>Then this happened.</p><p>Now here she was, sitting on the floor, surrounded by two woodland creatures and a cat. Annette remained still, letting her eyes wander from the animals to the looming figures of Ingrid and Dedue.</p><p><em>THIS is a dream!</em> Annette thought, closing her eyes and rubbing for good measure. <em>If I open them, all of this will go away! </em>She convinced herself, holding tight to that belief.</p><p>"Now you've done it, Sylvain!"</p><p>"What? Thought I'd liven things up a bit with--"</p><p>"With <em>what</em>? Letting a total stranger like her see us like <em>this</em>?"</p><p>"This is just a dream! It's not real!" Annette mumbled to herself over and over. Reopening her eyes, she was met with the same sight. The nearby boar hung his head low, shuffling his stubby four legs in distress. There was the fox with his snout raised high, cackling as the cat next to him hissed violently.</p><p>Annette felt her blood run cold. <strong><em>Mother, are you seeing this?</em></strong></p><p>"Relax, Fe! Geez, you just came back home!"</p><p>"Shut up, Sylvain! And damn boar, don't go telling me what to do!"</p><p>The nonsense bantering quickly kicked Annette out of her stupor.</p><p>"They're animals…" was all she could utter as she sat there and witnessed the entire scene unfold. Even saying it out loud left a bittersweet taste in her mouth.</p><p>Suddenly, everything went dark. "Ahh!" Annette quickly put her hands on her face in an attempt to tear off what was preventing her from seeing. Her heart leaped to her throat as her hand grazed over what felt like another hand, one that was far larger and softer compared to hers.</p><p>"What's going on?"</p><p>An explosion erupted, catching her attention. Heavy footsteps scampered across the room, followed by three loud thuds. Annette's breathing turned rapid. <strong><em>Mother, help me!</em></strong></p><p>"I'm so sorry about this."</p><p>Ingrid's gentle voice caused her to relax for a bit.</p><p>"I'm going to lift you, okay?"</p><p>Annette nodded. "O-okay." As expected, a mysterious force forced her to stand up. Annette yelped, stumbling as she lost her footing.</p><p>"Dedue! Grab some clothes for the boys!"</p><p>"On it,"</p><p>More sounds were heard in the background, heightening Annette's anxiety. Something tugged her by the wrist, alarming her. "Ah! Let go!"</p><p>"It's okay. It's me, Ingrid."</p><p>"Wait, where are you taking me? Where are we going?"</p><p>"Somewhere safe."</p><p>Eyes still covered, all Annette could do was let Ingrid drag her off from the kitchen and into the halls. Her heart hammered as she wandered through the darkness, blindfolded. After a bit of rummaging around, Ingrid's footsteps came to an abrupt halt. settled on the small stairs by the front entrance.</p><p>"This should be good,"</p><p>Annette held her breath as light filtered through the darkness. She quickly inspected the new area, making a mental note of the front door not too far away.</p><p>"Sorry for all the commotion,"</p><p>Annette whirled her head, surprised to find Ingrid pacing around. She looked conflicted, her eyes darting to the end of the halls and then back to Annette. As their eyes met, Annette felt her heart clench. <em>She looks so tired.</em></p><p>Exhaling a long sigh, Ingrid shook her head. "Damn it. I should've been more careful."</p><p>Annette blinked, not quite understanding what she meant. Then it clicked.</p><p>"Oh, uh…" She hesitated, pondering it over. Animals...they turned into animals right in front of her. Annette frowned deeply. <em>This can't be real, right? </em>Usually, people would react by laughing it off. <em>Should I do it?</em> Annette opened her mouth, only to close it off again, and looked away. No, it wasn't the right call. Not with how mildly tense Ingrid was with her unreadable expression.</p><p>"Are you alright?"</p><p>Ingrid's words cut through the silence like a blade, causing Annette to look up.</p><p>"Oh, uh, yes. I'm okay."</p><p>A small smile grazed Ingrid's features. "Good." The corners of her lips dipped downwards, molding into a frown. "What you saw just now...it's hard to explain." Ingrid crossed her arms, then looked up to face directly at Annette. "Were you scared?"</p><p>Annette veered to the floor. She frowned, shuffling nervously. Was she?</p><p>"Well, I--"</p><p>"What if I told you...that what you've seen isn't a figment of your imagination?"</p><p>Annette's eyes widened. She clamped her mouth shut and looked away.</p><p>"Tell me. When you saw the boys transform into animals, were you scared?"</p><p>"Yes!" Annette blurted out, only to gasp and cover her mouth. "I-I'm sorry!"</p><p>Ingrid gave her a strained smile. "No need to apologize. I'm glad you are being frank with me," She said, darting her gaze back down the hall. Muffled sounds and clamoring of dishes were heard from the kitchen, an indication that everything was returning to its normalcy. "I admit...I was also scared when the boys revealed their transformation to you." Sighing, Ingrid fixed her attention on Annette once more. "You must have a lot of questions."</p><p>Annette rubbed her arm, feeling a bit out of place. Her ears picked up light footsteps coming toward her. Peering up, Annette held her breath upon catching the fearful look written across Ingrid's pale face.</p><p>"Can you keep a secret?"</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>The Crest of the Arcana.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>It was originally believed to be a blessing bestowed by the Goddess, granting immense power and protection to the one who received it. Reports from multiple families harnessing the Crests traced back their roots over a thousand years ago...to the pivotal conflict in the history of Fodlan; the War of Heroes</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>The infamous Fell King Nemesis roamed the great land of Fodlan, together with his army of Ten Elites. Each wielded a powerful relic that was said to be bestowed to them by the Goddess herself. Legend foretold of their fateful encounter with the Goddess's divine spawn Seiros at Tailtean Plains. It was there at the site that the Fell King, Ten Elites, and Seiros fought head-on. Seiros had won victoriously, personally defeating Nemesis.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>At their final attempt to escape, Seiros afflicted a curse on the Ten Elites. As punishment for their sins for slaughtering her brothers and sisters whose remnants of power were forged into weapons of destruction, the Ten Elites were doomed to transform into the very same beasts they're annihilated. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Those who share their same blood were cursed with the same burden. Many of the ten elites never survived, secluding themselves from others and to protect their loved ones. It wasn't until shortly after that their skeletal remains would be delivered into their families' doorsteps, along with the company of their cursed relics. </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Without their knowing, it became each of the families' sacred right to wield the relics. Those inheriting the crest of their house were believed to have the strongest ties to the relic, hence granting them the ability to transform into the same monstrosity their ancestors have slain.</strong>
</p><p>"Fast forward into the future, BOOM!" A full-blown smile bloomed across Sylvain's lips as he proudly jutted his thumb at himself. "My parents met and banged. Uncle Lambert and Aunt Philomel banged. Uncle Rodrigue and Aunt Doria banged. Uncle Georgio and Aunt Esther banged," Laughing his head off, Sylvain leaned back on his seat and gave Dedue a suggestive wink. "Don't think I forgot about you, big guy. Your parents met and banged too. Multiple times!"</p><p>Resting his arms behind his head, Sylvain continued with his over-the-top exposition. "Anyway! Out we popped from our dearly beloved mothers' wombs and nineteenth or so years later, here we are!"</p><p>A light snort pierced through the awkward tension in the room. Sylvain was quick to glance the other way, amused to find their surprise guest suppressing her giggles by covering her mouth.</p><p>Catching onto this, Sylvain grinned toothily. He nudged the female blonde sitting next to him a little too forcefully by the elbow. "I like her already,"</p><p>Ingrid rolled her eyes. Still, his harmless comment proved to be a quick mood changer in the room. She glanced over to Annette who was quick to shrink in her seat, intimidated by the many eyes set on her.</p><p>"Thank you, Sylvain, for that...invigorating retelling," She commented, trying hard to retain her composure as best she could. "Now with that out of the way, I'm sure you have lots of questions to ask."</p><p>Annette sat up straight, placing her folded hands on her lap. "Yes." She confirmed, nodding. She chewed on her bottom lip, contemplating next on what to say. <em>There's so much to ask them, </em>She noted, <em>will it be okay?</em></p><p>"Your families...they are interconnected…" She began after a long pause, "Does that mean you guys are related to each other?"</p><p>"Some of us, yes," Dimitri confirmed, joining the discussion, "But not so much with the four of us. Ingrid, Sylvain, Felix, and I...we were raised closely under the watchful eye of our parents and servants. For a long time, we were living in an estate, deep in the forest, far away from human contact nor the outside world."</p><p>"The only access we had was the television and computers," Sylvain added in, followed by a loud sigh. "Speaking of relations, Ingrid here was betrothed for a little while,"</p><p>"Wait?" Annette cried, eyes sparkling in amazement.</p><p>"Yes, really," affirmed Ingrid who looked a bit bashful and restless all at once. She spared a glance at the brooding dark-haired teenager leaning on the nearby door railing, then back to the wonderstruck-looking Annette. "It was...alright. A bit nerve-wracking, but in the end, Glenn and I decided to leave on mutual terms."</p><p>"Glenn is Felix's older brother, by the way," Sylvain quickly jumps in and gives Annette an impish grin. "'Case you wanna know,"</p><p>Annette nodded, taking the tiny pieces of gossip eagerly. Her eyes unconsciously trailing over to the quiet giant standing behind Dimitri's seat. "What about…"</p><p>Following her line of sight, Dimitri locked eyes with his towering guard. Turning back, he smiled. "Dedue is our devoted house servant." He explained with a soft look, "He's been serving us since we were kids. Since he doesn't have the curse, he's got that advantage. He's the only person in this house who can venture outside and replenish our supplies from time to time."</p><p>Annette frowned deeply. "So this whole time…the four of you have been hiding?"</p><p>"Not quite," said Dimitri with an easy smile. "It's only been recent that our families decide to let us live freely outside the estate. The house we're in right now holds special power, a magical barrier to ward off animals and humans from invading our territory. Only those with a similar curse like us are drawn here to find salvation."</p><p><em>That explains the strange sign outside. </em>Annette noted, recalling the time she'd accidentally stumbled into the front of their entrance with a bloody sign. "Do you have any contact with the other descendants? The ones who bear the same curse, I mean."</p><p>"We frequently do," Ingrid piped in, "Each year, we'd gather in the estate and hold a feast together. It's usually hosted by the three main houses. Last year, House Riegan was in charge."</p><p>Annette's eyes went wide. "House Riegan? Like, Claude von Riegan?"</p><p>"Correct," Dimitri affirmed with a prideful smile. "Claude is an exceptional member in our circle who also happens to be among my distant cousins."</p><p>"Claude comes from a different branch in the far east. Four of our families—House Blaiddyd, House Gautier, House Fraldarius, and House Galatea are from the Northern Branch, all of whom have sworn allegiance and secrecy with one another."</p><p>"Raised together under the same roof with the intention of survival." Sylvain recited, "Take it as you will, blood or not, we're family through and through."</p><p>Another moment of silence permeated through the room.</p><p><em>With their ancestor's curse, they transform into monstrous beasts... </em>Annette thought, mulling it over. Memories of what transpired in the morning came tumbling back, with Annette paying close attention to the animalistic traits of the user. Sylvain was a fox, Dimitri as a boar, and Felix as a feline. <em>Dedue doesn't have a curse...which would leave...</em></p><p>Annette's eyes trailed up, locking with Ingrid's patient ones. "You didn't transform."</p><p>Ingrid grinned, impressed with the girl's keen observation of detail. "It only works with the opposite sex. When a male member of our circle comes into physical contact with a female, they would transform. The same goes for vice versa." Ingrid averted her gaze to Sylvain who shot her a knowing look. "But when two members, one girl and one boy, touch…"</p><p>Ingrid placed a hand on Sylvain's left shoulder. Annette tensed, steeling herself for the inevitable puff of smoke...but nothing came.</p><p>Annette peered up, surprised to find Ingrid and Sylvain retaining their human appearances.</p><p>"Our curse nullifies each other," Ingrid said as if she read the latter's mind.</p><p>"Does this mean you guys go to school or?"</p><p>Dimitri and Ingrid exchanged looks.</p><p>Noticing their hesitation, Sylvain took this time to step in. "Kind of? It's more 50/50. Since I'm two years older than the rest here, I attend my community college online. Dimitri, Ingrid, and Felix are left to attend the local high school."</p><p>"—Which means we must avoid crowdings and the likes," Dimitri cuts in, massaging his throbbing temple. "Thankfully, our families got permission by the faculty to allow us to be separated from our peers. We attend classes and homeroom but just the three of us."</p><p>"Even with our tiny piece of freedom, we're still stuck together," Felix grumbled with a snort. "Talk about a lack of privacy."</p><p>Annette glanced at the brooding man. His arms and legs were crossed, his glare dripping venom as he fixed it directly toward the two blondes and redhead. Luckily, he didn't bother to look her way, and yet, Annette could feel the heavy tension surrounding him. One misstep and in any minute now, he might react violently. <em>Like a ticking time bomb.</em></p><p>"You guys are lucky to have each other," Annette said, countering Felix's statement. She fiddled with her fingers on her lap. "Not a lot of people have that kind of luxury, you know." She expected Felix to argue back but was left stunned when dull silence was her answer.</p><p>Curious, Annette snuck a peek at Felix. Beneath his usual cold demeanor, there was a strange sense of fondness and concern embedded in his shiny eyes...the same ones ringing with familiarity.</p><p>Resounding applause quickly claimed Annette's attention.</p><p>"SO!" Sylvain began, slamming his hands on the table. "Now that our lovely guest of honor knows our little secret, does this mean we get to keep her?"</p><p>All eyes were on him this time, though Sylvain didn't shy away from the sudden spotlight.</p><p>"I hate to say it but Sylvain's got a point," Dimitri finally spoke up. "With Annette knowing all of this, the best thing to do is to keep her with us for a while."</p><p>Ingrid opened her mouth to protest, only to close it again. She cast a sideways glance at Annette who hung her head, seemingly deep in thought. "Annette?"</p><p>At the mention of her name, Annette looked up. "Yes?"</p><p>Ingrid smiled at her, one that left Annette feel comforted.</p><p>
  <em>"Are you afraid?"</em>
</p><p>The weight of Ingrid's words sank in, trudging back in brute force. Annette allowed this time to weigh in the pros and cons. Annette shut her eyes closed, inhaling deeply. <em>If I stay, I could probably help out and do something to protect them. But then...I'm just a stranger, right? I don't have much of a place here. As Sylvain said, they are bound in blood, a family through and through. </em>"Could a stranger like me be allowed to stay here?"</p><p>
  <em>Oh, Mother. What should I do?</em>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>—Do what you think is best, love.</em> </strong>
</p><p>Annette bit the inside of her cheek. <em>Should I go for it then?</em></p><p>"Give her some time to think. She just woke up and got hit with so much information all at once."</p><p>Annette turned around, surprised to find Dedue with a soft look. "Thank you," She mouthed in his general direction, wholly indebted to him.</p><p>"I agree," Dimitri said, voicing out his thoughts. "Just for tonight, we'll let you stay and from there, we'll see how it goes. Is that okay with you, Annette?"</p><p>"Yes," Annette replied without thinking. She looked around the room, her insides tickling at the smiles worn on Dimitri, Ingrid, and Sylvain. Even the surprisingly soft expression on Felix's face was enough to make her feel a little funny. <em>I'll give it a try, Mom.</em></p><hr/><p>"Here, take this."</p><p>Annette frowned as she was offered a box. "What is it?"</p><p>"Some spare clothes I've outgrown. Feel free to use them if you like." Ingrid said with a smile. "Let me know if they don't fit, okay?"</p><p>"Sure thing. Thanks."</p><p>Ingrid nodded, walking back to the door. "Oh, before I forget..."</p><p>"Hmm?"</p><p>"It's going to get a little hectic here, so if you get uncomfortable, let me know." Ingrid began with a gentle voice. "It can be chaotic here, especially with Sylvain and Felix but just know that we're here for each other. That includes you too."</p><p>Warmth filled Annette's insides as she stood there, box at hand. A slow smile resurfaced on her lips. "Thank you."</p><p>Ingrid nodded, mirroring her vibrant smile. "See you downstairs for lunch."</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>The door closed and Annette was left to her lonesome. Despite being a total outsider, Ingrid and the boys were still considerate to let her stay. <em>Don't get used to it, </em>Annette warned herself, crossing the room with the box. <em>I'm only here to stay for one night.</em></p><p>Placing the box on the study desk, Annette sat down on the chair. Looking around, she noticed her bags of belongings near the corner. Walking over, she quickly fished out the portrait of her mother. With a smile, Annette rushed over to the bed and sat on the edge of it. "What do you think of the place, Mother?" She asked aloud, marveling at the green-painted walls and long, white curtains. "A bit roomy and spacious, sort of like our living room from our old apartment."</p><p>Hopping off the bed, Annette walked over to the desk. She peered at the box, curious to check out the clothes Ingrid provided for her. She carefully set her Mother's portrait to the side and rummaged inside the box. She eventually settled with a nice teal nightgown that reached to her feet. <em>A bit loose but not so bad.</em></p><p>She wandered around the room, spotting a window to the right. She walked over, pushing past the curtains to see what lies beyond the glass. Green was the first thing she saw, which naturally belonged to the woodland that encircled the entire house. Looking up, Annette could spot a few patches of the blue sky underneath the shades, the shimmering glow of the sun filtering in and out. But the light was shining elsewhere, too far out of reach.</p><p><em>It's like you're trapped inside of a bubble, </em>Annette observed, hands touching the cold glass. <em>Could this be how Ingrid and the others see the world around them?</em></p><p>Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.</p><p>This house was both a sanctuary and a prison for the ones who must stay within its walls.</p><p>...And that may include herself.</p><hr/><p>Later that night, Annette couldn't seem to go to sleep.</p><p>Plagued by the events that transpired, Annette quietly went downstairs to get some water. It was there that she stumbled into a remarkable sight: standing outside of the front yard was Felix, his entire being bathed in moonlight.</p><p>Annette simply stared with wide eyes. "Oh, wow..."</p><p>"What are you doing up so late?"</p><p>Blinking, Annette looked up. Her heart hammered as she was met with Felix's piercing gaze.</p><p>"I could say the same for you," Annette countered. She maneuvered past the dining room to join him in the open patio, her glass of water left forgotten. She sat down on the stone steps, curling into a ball.</p><p>"I asked first," Felix said, turning away.</p><p>Annette rested her chin on her arms, exhaling. "I can't sleep."</p><p>"Nightmare?"</p><p>"Something like that."</p><p>Felix buried his hands in his pockets, still looking away. "I see."</p><p>Annette smiled sadly. "It's okay. I'm used to it."</p><p>The pair stayed that way; the silence calming and peaceful. Neither dared to speak nor move from their spots as though they were too preoccupied with their thoughts.</p><p>Looking up, Annette smiled at the vast array of stars. "Tonight is perfect for stargazing." She noted aloud, followed by a dreamy sigh. Quick flashbacks of the night before the storm came tumbling in. An image of a familiar black cat resurfaces from the depths, and Annette exhaled a shaky breath. "Figaro..." That's right, where could he be? <em>He probably ran away to look for more food or just got bored with me. </em>Another fleeting thought came one that made the pit of her stomach flutter.</p><p>"Drink this."</p><p>Annette quickly whirled her head, her heart thrashing at the unexpected sight of Felix towering over her.</p><p>"Chamomile," Felix said, gently placing a piping cup of tea on the ground. "Got it from Dimitri's secret stash. Take a few sips and it should put you to sleep."</p><p>Annette frowned, inspecting the items laid out for her. "Hmm…"</p><p>"In case you're wondering, no, I did not poison it."</p><p>His light teasing brought a blush to her cheeks. "I-I didn't say anything about that!"</p><p>Felix rolled his eyes, a small smile still present. "Don't stay out here too long."</p><p>Annette grimaced, her cheeks burning hot. She watched as Felix turned and ascended the staircase, his shadow merging well into the pits of darkness. She veered at chamomile tea left untouched and inwardly smiled. She curled her fingers around the handle of the cup, blowing the puffs of smoke.</p><p>Who knew grumpy Felix had a soft side?</p><p>A few more sips later and she could already feel her eyes getting heavy. Yawning, Annette took the dishware and placed it inside the empty sink.</p><p>She scaled up the staircase, the creaking of her footsteps lulling her to sleep. Reaching the third floor, she sluggishly wandered over to the guest room and set foot inside. With another tired yawn, Annette crawled on top of the bed, pulling the thick comforter over her.</p><p>Something small and fuzzy crawled under her arm. Annette stirred in her sleep, brows furrowing.</p><p>"Mrow…"</p><p>Annette relaxed at an all-too-familiar sound, sighing deeply. She wrapped her arm to the fuzzy warm presence, smiling tiredly when she nuzzled closer.</p><p>"Mrow…"</p><p>"Mhm…' night, night, Figaro."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>One more thing--don't worry about the chapter numbers. It may look like it's going to end fairly soon but I would use that as an indicator to pace myself to see where I am in the story. If it does get confusing, don't hesitate to let me know of this and I'll remove it shortly.</p><p>Please continue to support my lovely mini-bang partner, Monty over on Twitter! The link should be down below!<br/>https://twitter.com/MonyArtz</p><p>Please also support the release of Fruits Basket Season 2 (all episodes should be out by now, I believe! Both EN and JP! Go check'em out if you can!)</p><p>I'll do my best to update every now and then. It's likely that I'll just be posting the chapters in a monthly routine but again, I can't promise since spring semester is almost here. Stay healthy and safe everyone! Until next time!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for taking the time to read and write!</p>
<p>Please take a moment of your time to check out my artist partner, Mony's work on Twitter and support her:<br/>https://twitter.com/MonyArtz</p></blockquote></div></div>
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